Safety dispensing container



INVENTIL R. H..R|cHMoND, sR

SAFETY DIsPENsI-Nq CONTAINER Filed Aug. e, 195s Dec. 1o, 1957 SAFETYDISPENSING CONTAINER Roy H. Richmond, Sr., Wellsburg, W. Va., assignor tEagle Manufacturing Company, Wellsburg, W. Va., a corporation of WestVirginia Application August 6, 1953, Serial No. 372,739

8 Claims. (Cl. 222-470) This invention relates, as indicated, to asafety dispensing container for inammable materials such as gasoline andthe like Iand is directed to a dispensing container having improvementswhich from a safety standpoint are effective to prevent spillage of thecontainer contents both during a dispensing operation and when thecontainer is being used as a storage receptacle.

The container of this invention is of the manually portable type and isprimarily intended as a receptacle in which gasoline may be stored andwhich may be operated as a dispenser in transferring its contents to thegasoline tanks of outboard motor boats, motor vehicles, tractors, lawnmowers, and more generally any device powered by an internal combustionengine. The inflammable nature of gasoline to be stored and dispensedconstitutes a fire hazard upon spillage of the contents of thereceptacle or leakage of gasoline vapor therefrom, the elimination ofwhich is one of the principal objects of this invention.

More particularly, the improvements of this invention are directed to anovel arrangement of carrying handle, pour spout, and vent which are soconstructed and positioned relative to each other that the necessaryoperations required in dispensing the contents of the container may beaccomplished by a one-handed operation. In this manner, the dispenser ofthis invention frees the `o-ther hand of the operator and 'provides adesirable advantage in that the operators other hand may be used tosteady his position, for example, when standingin a small boat and usingthe dispenser to ll the gas tank of a power motor.

As will be explained further below, the receptacle constituting the partof the dispensing container of this invention has a shallow depth andhas a flat dome-shaped top or covering to which is attached a metalstrap-like handle. The handle is llat and extends diametrically of thecontainer and directly in line therewith at one edge of its top there isprovided a pour spout in the form of a tube having a pivotal connectionto the receptacle cover. By locating the pour, spout connection in linewith the diametrically extending strap handle, the operator can read-Anited States Patht O r.

ily tilt the receptacle to supply its contents to the pour spout. Thepour spout is provided with a closure at its end which is automaticallymoved to open position .when engaged with the lilling spout ofthe tankinto which the contents of the receptacle is to be poured. The pourspout closure may be rested against the filling opening of the gas tankand its weight will be suicient to movethe closure to its open position,and when this pressure is released by removing the container from apouring position the spout closure automatically moves to its closedposition to discontinue the dispensing operation. To one Side of thehandle, there is located a vent which is in a position to be operated bythe thumb of the operators hand engaged vwith the handle. By reason ofthis specific location of the pour` spout and vent with respect to thehandle, all of the operations essential to a dispensing operation2,815,892 Patented Dec. 10, 1957 ICC may be accomplished by the singlehand of the operator engaged with the handle.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved closure forthe pour spout of a gasoline container which is actuated to openposition 'oy engagement with the fill-opening of a receptacle into whichgasoline is to be dispensed.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent` fromthe following` description.

In the drawings, there is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention.In this showing:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a dispensing container constructedin accordance with the principles of this invention, a portion thereofat the upper and lower edges as viewed in Fig. `1 being broken away;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the container shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along a plane in the line III-III ofFig. l;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the spout closure takensubstantially along the line IV-IV of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an end view of the spout closure looking from the left of Fig.4; and

Fig. 6 is a sectional view through the cap closure and vent for thereceptacle.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a receptacle ofcylindrical shape having a top or cover 2. The receptacle 1, asillustrated, preferably has a shallow depth as compared to its diameterand may be of a size suflicient to contain a relatively small quantityof gasoline such as one to three gallons.

The cover 2`has a ilat dome shape and is provided with a handle 3. Thehandle 3 is fabricated from a flat metal strap shaped to the form of a Uhaving one arm 4 projecting downwardly `and secured at 5 by welding tothe cover 2 at one side thereof and the other arm 6 secured to the cover2 at the point 7 which is located inwardly of the other edge of thecover but outwardly from the center thereof. The intermediate portion 8extending horizontally between the arms 4 and 6 has its edges curvedupwardly to provide a hand grip and is spaced from the cover to provideroom for the insertion of the operators fingers. The strap 3 extendsdiametrically of the top 2 and by reason of specific location of the arm6 and its connection 7, the receptacle may be readily tilted with littleelfort by the operator, to eiect a pouring operation.

The pour spout comprises a metal tube of L shape having a horizontallyextending portion 9 and a vertically extending portion 10. Thevertically extending portion 10 provides access to the interior of thecontainer and is pivotally connected to the cover 2 by a sput 11 securedto the cover 2 about an opening therein throughk which the tube portion10 extends. The sput 1l mounts a bushing 12 having a tapered innerlsurface which provides a bearing support for a bushing 13 secured tothe lower end of the tube portion 12. The bushing 13 has a taper opposedto the taper on the bushing 12 so that its engagement with the bushing12 provides a seal against leakage of fluid from the container. A spring14 bears against the upper edge of the bushing 12 and is held inposition by a cap 15 secured to the upper end of the bushing 12. Thespring maintains the oppositely tapered surfaces of the bushings 12 and13 tightly engaged with each other to provide a seal preventing leakageof fluid from the container while allowing rotational movement ofthetube 10 and lbushing 13 with respect to the container. As indicatedin Fig. 1, the sput 11 and pivotal tube 10 are aligned with the handle 3and have their axes positioned along the diameter over which the handle3 extends. When the container is being used to carry l fluids from onepoint to another or for the storage of as tive position overlying thecover 2 as illustrated in Figs. l and 2. When the spout is to be used todispense gasoline from the container, it will be rotated to a positionin which the horizontal tube portion 9 projects outwardly from thecontainer and in a position axially in line with the handle 3.

The point of connection of the handle 7 to the top is located asufficient distance from the center of the container to allow theoperators hand to be positioned centrally of the container for carryingpurposes. With one edge of the operators hand against the strap 6 aboveits connection 7, the container will be balanced and may be carriedabout in an untilted position. However, when the operator moves his handalong the horizontal strap S toward the arm 4, the upward supportingforce exerted by his hand will be eccentric with respect to thecontainer and cause it to tilt about a line transverse of the handle toa position with the sput 11 at the lowest point along the diameter overwhich the handle extends. This tilting movement facilitates dispensingof the gasoline through the spout 9.

The outer end of the horizontal tube portion 9 is provided with a valveclosure designated as a Whole by the numeral 17. As best shown in Fig.4, the closure 17 comprises a tubular section 18 having rolled threads19 at its inner end for threaded engagement with similar threads on theouter end of the horizontal spout portion 9 to secure the spout closurethereto. The inner end of the section 18 terminates in a flange 20 whichengages and compresses a seal 21 against a ange 22 on the tube portion9. The outer end of the section 18 has an inwardly tapering flange 23which provides a seat for a valve closure 24. The valve 24 is preferablyformed of hard rubber, either natural or synthetic, and has asemi-spherical shape enabling it to seat readily against the ange 23.The inner end of the valve 24 has a projecting part 25 of cylindricalshape about which an annular shoulder 26 is provided on the valve 24against which one end of a spring 27 has bearing engagement.

The valve 24, in assembly, is inserted in the tubular section 18 to theposition illustrated in Fig. 4 prior to insertion of the spring 27. Thespring 27 is constructed so that it can be moved to the positionillustrated in Fig. 4 only by a threading action with respect to thethreads 19 on the section 18. The coils 28 at the outer end of thespring 27 have a reduced diameter such that they clear the threads 19when the spring is initially inserted in the section 18. However, thecoils 29 at the inner end of the spring are enlarged and have an outerdiameter such that they will have threaded engagement with the threads19 so that the coil can be moved to its operative position only byrotating it to thread the coils 29 with respect to the threads 19. Asthe coils 29 are threaded over the threads 19, they are compressedslightly and the threads 19 are thereby effective to hold the coil 27against movement out of the position to which it may be moved. While thethreads 19 are elfective in this manner to hold the coil in position, aange 30 at the outer end of the threads 31 on the tube 9 is eiective asa stop to prevent unthreading movement of the spring 29. The flange 30normally holds a screen 32 against the inner end of the spring 29, thescreen 32 acting as a filter for gasoline being dispensed from thecontainer. v

The valve closure 17 is completed by a tubular section 34 havingtelescopic engagement over the tubular section 18. The outer end of thesection 34 has a portion of reduced diameter providing a nozzle 35 and ashoulder 36 which engages with the tapered flange 23 to limit in# wardmovement of the tubular section 35 with respect to tbe section 18. Anoperating pin 37 extends through the tubular section 36 at a pointadjacent the inner end of its nozzle portion 35 and has end portions'38which project laterally outwardly from opposite 'sides of the section36. The pin 37 Vas shown in Fig. 5 extends transversely anddiametrically of the opening through the nozzle 35 and in addition toserving as an operating member for moving the tubular section inwardlyin a manner to be described, furnishes a connection for the section 34with the section 18. This connection is provided by an eyelet 39 at theouter end of an anchoring member 40 which has its inner end 41 embeddedin the valve 24.

The spring 27 is normally effective to hold the valve 24 in its closedposition against the flange or valve seat 23 to prevent ilow of uidoutwardly through the nozzle portion 35. Fluid can be dispensed throughthe nozzle 35 only by moving the section 34 inwardly to unseat the valve24 with respect to the flange 23. This unseating movement of the valve24 with respect to the ange 23 can be readily effected by placing theprojecting ends 38 of the pin 37 in engagement with opposite edges of afill opening (not shown) in a tank into which gasoline is to bedispensed from the receptacle 1. With the ends 38 so engaged, theapplication of a small amount of pressure to move the section 34telescopically inwardly with respect to the section 18 will be elfectiveto unseat the valve Z4 and permit the dispensing of gasoline through thenozzle 35. As soon as the pressure against the ends 38 is released bydisengaging such ends intentionally or accidentally with respect to theedges of the opening through which gasoline is being poured, the spring27 will automatically move the valve 24 to its closed position there byinterrupting the ow of gasoline through the nozzle 35.

A threaded sheet metal cap closure 45 is provided for a ll opening intothe container which is located at one side of the panel 3 at a pointsubstantially centrally of its ends. The cap closure 45 provides asupport for a vent 46 which is mounted centrally thereof. The vent 46comprises a stationary tube 47 extending centrally and inwardly withrespect to the cap 45. The tube 47 has a tapered shoulder 48 at itsupper end and provides a sliding support for a hollow tube 49 having atapered shoulder 50 at its upper end for sealing engagement with theshoulder 48. The tube 49 is held in its upper position by a spring 51which has its upper end engaged with the lower end of the tube 49 andits lower end engaged with a cap 52 threaded on the lower end of thetube 47. The upper end 53 of the tube 49 projects outwardly through anopening in the cap 45 and has an operating member 54 secured to itsouter end by which it may be depressed against the action of the spring51. Depression of the tube 49 against the biasing action of the spring51 interrupts the sealing engagement of the shoulders 48 and 50 anduncovers a vent opening 55 through which air may be admitted to thecontainer during a dispensing operation. The upwardly extending portion53 has a loose t in the upper end 56 of the stationary tube 47 whichallows for the flow of air to and through the vent opening 53. The lowerend of the tube 49 has a seat 57 for a ball check valve 58 which is heldin position by a spring 59, the upper end of which bears against theinner surface of the tapered shoulder 50. The check valve 58 closes anopening through the seat 57 and is normally held in a closed position bythe spring 59. However, when the pressure of the gasoline vapor withinthe container exceeds a predetermined pressure determined by the tensionof the spring 59, the ball check valve 58 will be unseated and the'gasoline vapor may be exhausted through an opening in the cap 52.

The specic structure of the check valve mechanism shown in Fig. 6 iscovered by my copending application Serial No. 372,738, filed August 6,1953, to which reference is made for a more detailed descriptionthereof.

The ll opening closed by the cap 45 is positioned substantiallycentrally of the ends 4 and 6 of the handle. This location of the fillopening closed by the cap 45 with respect to the handle 3 is importantin that it enables the-vent 46 to be actuated by the thumb of theoperators hand engaged with and supporting the handle 3.

To use the container for dispensing gasoline into a.

t 5. tank, the container is supported by an operator with four fingersof one hand engaged under the handle strap Sand against the strap 4 asexplained above and with the thumb of the hand supporting the containerprojecting outwardly toward the vent 46. The horizontal spout 9 is thenpivoted to a position in which it projects outwardly from the containerand is aligned with the handle 3. By reason of the eccentric location ofthe handle 3 on the cover 2 due to the location of the handle connection5 at one edge of the cover and the connection 7 at a point intermediatethe center of the cover and the pivotal spout connection at 11, thecontainer will tend to tilt forwardly to deliver fluid to the spoutwithout any effort on the part of the operator when the operators handis in supporting engagement with the handle adjacent the strap 4. Thenozzle closure is then operated by inserting the nozzle 3S in the llspout of the tank into which gasoline is to be dispensed with theoppositely projecting ends 38 of the pin 37 engaged with opposite edgesof the till spout. A slightl forward pressure against such iill spoutwill move the pin 37 inwardly to unseat the valve 24 and permit the iowof gasoline into the tank, and this is accomplished by resting a portionof the weight of the tilted container against the tank ill spout. At thetime the valve 24 is moved to its open position in this manner, adownward pressure is applied to the vent 46 by the operator to open thevent 46, and this operation of the vent 46 is effected by the thumb ofthe operators hand engaged with the handle 3. In this manner, it will beapparent that the particular arrangement of the handle 3 with respect tothe pour spout and the location of the vent 46 with respect to thehandle 3 enable the operator to perform all of the operations requiredincluding the opening of the nozzle 17 with one hand, and that his otherhand is freed for other purposes such as steadying his position when thedispensing operation is being performed on an unstable base such as in aboat. y In addition, attention is directed to the fact that the nozzle17 is automatically operative to close the valve 24 and interrupt thedispensing of gasoline should the operator accidentally drop thereceptacle or otherwise remove the pin arms 38 from engagement with thell spout into which gasoline is being dispensed.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of myinvention, it will be understood that this is merely by way ofillustration, and that various changes and modifications may be madetherein within the contemplation of the invention and under the scope ofthe following claims.

I claim:

l. A safety dispensing container for gasoline and the like comprising areceptacle having a top wall, a handle comprising a horizontal strapextending in a direction diametrically of said top wall and having a rstconnection therewith adjacent one edge thereof and a second connectiontherewith at a point between the center of the wall and an adjacent edgethereof, a pour spout in the form of an L-shaped tube having a springbiased vertically movable vertical portion communicating with theinterior of said receptacle through said top wall and having a pivotedconnection with said top wall, and a horizontal portion extendingoutwardly from the top of said vertical portion for swinging movementfrom a position overlying and engaged by said receptacle handle to anoperative dispensing position in which it projects outwardly from saidadjacent edge of the wall and is aligned diametrically with said handle,the outer end of said spout having a spring biased closure normallypreventing ow of the container contents, and a manually operablenormally closed air vent for said receptacle positioned to one side ofsaid handle for selective operation to open position by the thumb of theoperators hand engaged with said handle.

2. A dispensing container for gasoline and the like comprising avreceptacle having =a top wall, a handle comprising a horizontal strapextending in a direction diametrically of said top wall and having a rstconnection therewith adjacent one edge thereof and a second connectiontherewith at a point between the center of the wall and an adjacent edgethereof, a pour spout in the form of an L-shaped tube having a verticalportion communicating with the interior of said receptacle through saidtop wall and having a pivoted connection with said top wall, and ahorizontal portion extending outwardly from the top of said verticalportion for swinging movement from an out-of-the-way position in whichit projects outwardly from said adjacentV edge of the wall and isaligned diametrically with said handle, and a nozzle comprising innerand outer tubular sections telescopically engaged with each other, saidinner section being detachably secured at one end to the outer end ofsaid horizontal tube portion and having a radially inwardly taperingflange at its outer end providing a valve seat, a valve within saidinner section having a spring biasing it to a closed position .againstsaid seat, said outer section having a portion of reduced diameter atits outer end providing a flange engageable with said inner sectioninwardly tapered flange for limiting the inward telescopic movement ofsaid outer section relative to said inner section, and means extendingtransversely of said outer section connecting said outer section withsaid valve whereby pressure exerted on said means causing inwardtelescopic movement of said outer section is effective to unseat saidvalve and said biasing spring is effective through said valve to movesaid outer section telescopically outwardly relative to said innersection when said pressure is released.

3. The invention defined in claim 2 characterized by the outer end ofsaid horizontal portion and the inner end of said inner section havingrolled threads for threaded engagement with each other, and said springcomprising coils having an outer diameter for threaded engagement withthe threads on the inner surface of said inner sections.

4. A pour spout nozzle comprising inner and outer tubular sectionshaving sliding telescopic engagement with each other, said inner sectionhaving a radially inwardly tapered iiange at its outer end providing aValve seat and a Valve mounted within said inner section therein formovement to and from a position engaged with said seat, a spring biasingthe movement of said valve to a closed position engaged with said seat,said outer section having a portion of reduced diameter adjacent itsouter end providing an inwardly tapered flange for engagement with saidinner section llange to limit inward telescopic movement of the outersection relative to said inner section, and means connecting said outersection with said valve whereby inward telescopic movement of said outersection is effective to unseat said valve and said spring is effectivethrough said valve to move said outer section telescopically outwardlyrelative to said inner section.

5. A pour spout nozzle for attachment to a thin-walled tube having-rolled threads on its outer end comprising thin-walled inner and outertubular sections having telescopic sliding engagement with each other,the inner end of said inner tubular section having rolled threads forengagement with the threads on said tube and said inner tubular sectionhaving a flange tapering radially inwardly thereof at its outer end toprovide a valve seat, a valve mounted in said inner section for axialmovement to and from a position in seating engagement with said flange,a coil spring movable to an operative position in said inner section bya threading action of its coils with respect to the threads on saidinner section, and means connecting said outer section with said valvewhereby inward telescopic movement of said outer section is effective tounseat said valve and said spring is effective 7 through said valve tomove saidv outer section telescopically outwardly relative to said innersection.

6. A pour spout nozzle for attachment to a thin-walled tube havingrolled threads on its outer end comprising thin-walled inner and outertubular sections having telescopic sliding engagement with each other,the inner end of said inner tubular section having rolled threads forengagement with the threads on said tube and said inner tubular sectionhaving a ange tapering radially inwardly thereof at its outer end toprovide a valve seat, a valve mounted in said inner section for axialmovement to and from a position in seating engagement with said ilange,a coil spring movable to an operative position in said inner section bya threading section of its coils with respect to the threads on saidinner section, said outer section having a portion of reduced diameterat its outer end providing an inwardly tapered ilange for engagementwith said inner section flange to limit its inward telescopic movementrelative to said inner section, and means connecting said outer sectionwith said valve whereby inward telescopic movement of said outer sectionis eiective to unseat said valve and said spring is effective throughsaid valve to move said outer section telescopically outwardly relativeto said inner section.

7. A pour spout nozzle for attachment to a thin-walled tube havingrolled threads on its outer end comprising thin-walled inner and outertubular sections having telescopic sliding engagement with each other,the inner end of said inner tubular section having rolled threads forengagement with the threads on said tube and said inner tubular sectionhaving a ange tapering radially inwardly thereof at its outer end toprovide a valve seat, a valve mounted in said inner section for axialmovement to and from a position in seating engagement with said flange,a coil spring movable to an operative position in said inner .section bya threading section of its coils with respect to the threads on saidinner section, said outer section having a portion of reduced diameterat its outer end providing an inwardly tapered flange for engagementwith said inner section ange to limit its inward telescopic movementrelative to said inner section, a pin extending transversely of saidouter section and having end portions projecting beyond its outersurface, and means connecting the center portion of said pin with saidvalve for moving said valve out of seating engagement with said flangein response to inward telescopic movement of said outer section relativeto said inner section.

8. The invention defined in claim 7 characterized by said valve being arubber body having a semi-spherical shape at its axially outward end forengagement with said flange scat, and a cylindrical projection at itsaxially inward end providing an annular shoulder thereabout againstwhich the outer end of said opening has bearing engagement, and saidconnecting means comprising a pin having an eyelet at its outer endthrough which said transversely extending pin projects and a part at itsinner end embedded in said rubber body.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 133,683Tuttle Dec. 3, 1872 442,638 Raleigh Dec. 16, 1890 474,172 Kaplan May 3,1892 757,170 Young et al. Apr. 12, 1904 1,481,359 Dye Jan. 22, 19241,913,895 Paull June 13, 1933 1,967,831 Lindinger July 24, 19342,637,470 Wolcott May 5, 1953

